Plan Ahead for Travel Abroad
Getting a U.S. passport is about to take more time than before, as reported by the Washington Post.
Obtaining or renewing a passport is already a lengthy process, and procrastinating can lead to complications and disrupted travel plans. Unfortunately, the wait time for passport services is increasing further, emphasizing the importance of planning well in advance. Tales of passport woes may become more commonplace and severe.
The Passport Services agency of the State Department now states that it will take between six and eight weeks to process a new application. This marks a significant rise from the previous four to six weeks, valid until May 31st. State Department officials attribute this delay to a workforce shortage. With record numbers of passport applications in recent years, over 21 million passports and passport cards issued in 2017 and 2018, the Passport Services agency has seen a decrease of about 14% in government employees since early 2017. An official from the State Department assured the Post, stating, “To manage the high passport workload this summer, the Department is utilizing all available resources to prevent further delays in processing times and aims to restore shorter timelines by September.”
If you are planning to travel abroad soon, allow at least an eight-week window for processing. For those in urgent need, an expedited service is available for $60, promising a passport within two to three weeks.
